An Ark pre-dating the story of Noah

[Hervé]

A 4000-year-old tablet from ancient Mesopotamia contains the specifications for an ark pre-dating the story of Noah (http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/a-4000yearold-tablet-from-ancient-mesopotamia-contains-the-specifications-for-an-ark-predating-the-story-of-noah/story-fnjwl1aw-1226810293590)


IT'S a few notches on a 4000-year-old clay tablet. But what it reveals about the ancient biblical story of Noah's ark has scholars crowing the world over.

The British Museum yesterday put the recently deciphered clay tablet from ancient Mesopotamia - now Iraq - on display.

It's claimed to be one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever.

What it contains are specifications for the legendary Ark which was said to have saved two of each animal - and a handful of humans - from a catastrophic flood.

But some of the details are different to the generally known version.

It describes a circular vessel known as a coracle, not the rectangular vessel of modern mythology.

"It was really a heart-stopping moment - the discovery that the boat was to be a round boat," the tablet's discoverer, Irving Finkel said. "That was a real surprise."


http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2014/01/25/1226810/292690-845f8e00-8573-11e3-90a9-2f6f5b597dd3.jpg
The 4000 year old clay tablet containing the story of the Ark and the flood stands on display at the British Museum in London during the launch of the book 'The Ark Before Noah' by Irving Finkel, curator in charge of cuneiform clay tablets at the British Museum. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) Source: Supplied




The tablet records a Mesopotamian god's instructions for building a giant vessel - two-thirds the size of a soccer field in area - made of rope, reinforced with wooden ribs and coated in bitumen.

Etched in the clay is one of the story's key elements: It describes how the animals must enter "two by two".

TOMB RAIDERS: The myth that drove two Germans to deface the Great Pyramid (http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/why-did-two-german-hobbyists-deface-a-cartouche-of-khufu-inside-the-great-pyramid-and-what-does-it-have-to-do-with-atlantis/story-fnjwl1aw-1226802932762)
The British Museum says the detail contained in the tablet can be analysed by naval architects to determine if such a vessel could have actually sailed.

Mr Finkel is the British Museum assistant keeper of the Middle East. He is releasing a book on the tablet titled: "The Ark Before Noah".

"(The tablet is) one of the most important human documents ever discovered," he said.
And the newly revealed design, he said, was "perfect".

"It never sinks, it's light to carry."


http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2014/01/25/1226810/293534-81151076-8573-11e3-90a9-2f6f5b597dd3.jpg

Coracle versus ocean-going streamlined design? Inset top, a sketch of the design of a common river-going coracle. Source: Supplied


But Finkel said that while the design appear sound, he isn't sure a "coracle" of that scale would have floated.

David Owen, professor of ancient Near Eastern studies at Cornell University, said the British Museum curator had made "an extraordinary discovery."

Elizabeth Stone, an expert on the antiquities of ancient Mesopotamia at New York's Stony Brook University, said it made sense that ancient Mesopotamians would depict their mythological ark as round.

This is not the first time the ancient story of the ark has been found outside of the bible. But it is the earliest.

The flood story recurs in later Mesopotamian writings including the "Epic of Gilgamesh."

Finkel says the discovery may cause dissent among believers in the biblical story. When 19th-century British Museum scholars first learned from cuneiform tablets that the Babylonians had a flood myth, they were disturbed by its similarities to the story of Noah.

"Already in 1872 people were writing about it in a worried way - What does it mean that Holy Writ appears on this piece of Weetabix?" he joked to Fox News, referring to a cereal similar in shape to the tablet.

"I'm sure the story of the flood and a boat to rescue life is a Babylonian invention," he said.

A television documentary due to be broadcast later this year will follow attempts to build the ark according to the ancient manual.

Does Finkel think the ark was real?

"I don't think the ark existed - but a lot of people do," he said. "It doesn't really matter. The Biblical version is a thing of itself and it has a vitality forever."

[chocolate]

From the point of view of stability with all the animal lot that supposedly needed to be sheltered, this shape makes much more sense than the elongated one- greater surface area for the weight per sq.m. And if it has been intended to stay above water surface rather than to float through the water, also makes much more sense.

Considering also the fact that a shape closer to semi-sphere and its subdivisions having the least amount of surface area when it comes to the amount of building material involved in the construction, and being quite modular (segmented), and also having examples of this shapes being widely used in ancient times for the constructions of houses, it is easy to assume that a type of a structure close to a semi-sphere or partial sphere comes naturally to the builder's mind.

At one point somewhere I saw the idea that the water on the planet has been 'an added element', and if so, than there probably has been a time of unexpected amount of rain and rise of 'sea levels' a.k.a. flood. I just don't buy the popular type of a flood that people 'believe' has happened.

It will be interesting to see the comments after the new Noah film gets released. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1959490/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 FRTlT3DEydU

I personally a bit dislike the shape of the vessel chosen for the film, but probably there has been a good amount of research done, so I will take it as it comes along.

...Now when I think of it ---> it was a spaceship, not a sailing ship. :)

Great find, Amzer Zo!

[ghostrider]

The Plejaren have said the flood happened 100,000 years ago ... for what it's worth ... our history is so backwards , a man named semjasa mated with an earth female named EVA and the child they had was a male , a completely new lifeform , they named him Adam which means earth human being ... our ET family tells a very different history than we are told by earth scientist ...

[chocolate]

With Amzer Zo's permission (and bump):
Y-ov0MeunBg

I don't think the video here is related to the discovery in question, but just shows another treatment of the story.

Is it possible that with so many years of obediently following what someone else told us the truth is, we are too much concentrated and fixated on an idea that can be actually a symbolical story with a different actual meaning? (referring here to the holy books).

I am not so much questioning if there was a flood or not, because if someone really decides to prove anything I am sure he will find enough evidence to prove whatever one needs to, but more I am, too, questioning the whole background around the mythology that has so well been described in the books of the religions, and in our current history/science textbooks.

I personally do not subscribe to the idea the pyramids were tombs of any kind, just as many others (see the article in the first post) are trying to show us. Neither I am convinced that Noah's Ark (in the way we have been told so far) sailed the seas after the great flood. Probably there were vessels that can fit into the description and the role of that hero, but the actual saving space for me has other characteristics and background. I am also not subscribing to the plejaren's messages, just expressing an independent opinion.

[Hervé]

Now... to add a little salt and pepper (I mean spices)...

What if this is another one of those planted tablets (see Simon Parkes, re: Sitchin)... meant to be discovered at such a convenient time... what a toxic idea to inoculate in people's mind to cast a blanket doubt on any discoveries! As if it wasn't enough that most of the OOPAs are hoarded in that Smithsonian Institute's cellars.

[MariaDine]

The story of a great flood is mentioned in ancient Hindu texts, particularly the Satapatha Brahmana.
It is compared to the accounts of the Deluge found in several religions and cultures.
Manu was informed of the impending flood and was protected by the Matsya Avatar of Lord Vishnu, who had manifested himself in this form to rid the world of morally depraved human beings and protect the pious, as also all animals and plants

«Lord Vishnu will one day appear in a dream to Nyuha (Noah) and will say:


"My son Nyuha (Noah), hear me, this world will be destroyed by flood in seven days. Therefore build thou a ship (ark) for you and your family only to be safe from Pralayam (Flood).


Prosper in this world after the flood for thou art the most righteous man on the earth". Then the sage Nyuha (Noah) will prepare a ship.

Length of the ship 300 hand breadth, Width, 50 hand breadth, height 30 hand breadth.

Meditating on Vishnu, Nyuha (Noah) will ascend the ship along with his wife, his three sons and their wives (eight souls). The world was flooded by rain for 44 days.


The whole land of Bharata (India), Plava (Palestina) and Sindava (Punjab) will go submerged in that flood.


All will be lost except Nyuha and his family. Thus ends the 4th chapter of BHAVISHYA PURANA

[Harley]

Is it possible that with so many years of obediently following what someone else told us the truth is, we are too much concentrated and fixated on an idea that can be actually a symbolical story with a different actual meaning? (referring here to the holy books).

I am not so much questioning if there was a flood or not, because if someone really decides to prove anything I am sure he will find enough evidence to prove whatever one needs to, but more I am, too, questioning the whole background around the mythology that has so well been described in the books of the religions, and in our current history/science textbooks.

I personally do not subscribe to the idea the pyramids were tombs of any kind, just as many others (see the article in the first post) are trying to show us. Neither I am convinced that Noah's Ark (in the way we have been told so far) sailed the seas after the great flood. Probably there were vessels that can fit into the description and the role of that hero, but the actual saving space for me has other characteristics and background. I am also not subscribing to the plejaren's messages, just expressing an independent opinion.

EXACTLY!

Stories change as they're handed-down through time so it doesn't take much imagination to question how much this one has changed over thousands of years.

What if the Ark wasn't a boat designed to float on water at all, and what if the pigeons that Noah released in search of land weren't literally birds? When a person is trying to convey something they don't understand to someone else, they have no choice but to describe it as something that is familiar to them!

The story of The Great Flood and Noah's Ark is billed as a restart of not only mankind, but of all life. Or in other words A Second Chance. Think about it.

What if...

:)

[MorningSong]

Back in mid-December, I mentioned an article about this OP subject in the "How The Annunaki Prevent Disclosure" thread and there are a few comments, if anyone wishes to follow up on the parallel...

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?65207-How-The-Anunnaki-Prevent-Disclosure&p=773904&viewfull=1#post773904

[chocolate]

I personally a bit dislike the shape of the vessel chosen for the film, but probably there has been a good amount of research done, so I will take it as it comes along.


Now do I have to correct myself on this statement or what!
It is obvious (reading my note), that I was not all that familiar with the Bible [story] which was quickly corrected yesterday between the shower and the bed.
They (the film) have based their ... whole thing... on that document, adding a bit (or more) of visual effects here and there. Why I am not surprised.

Sorry Amzer Zo to derail your stream of thought here a bit.

It is obvious that as long as we don't do anything about it those who can (Annunaki and co.) will keep on coming with planted evidence and false ideas.

Now, back to topic.

[chocolate]

EXACTLY!

Stories change as they're handed-down through time so it doesn't take much imagination to question how much this one has changed over thousands of years.

What if the Ark wasn't a boat designed to float on water at all, and what if the pigeons that Noah released in search of land weren't literally birds? When a person is trying to convey something they don't understand to someone else, they have no choice but to describe it as something that is familiar to them!

The story of The Great Flood and Noah's Ark is billed as a restart of not only mankind, but of all life. Or in other words A Second Chance. Think about it.

What if...

:)

That was what I tend to think, also. I know Amzer Zo has some thoughts of his own, much deeper and wider than that.

But I see here that every time a story of this kind is mentioned, the boat goes in the religious studies right away.
It will take time...

[Atlas]

British Museum: Prototype for Noah's Ark was round

JILL LAWLESS - The Associated Press

"LONDON -- It was a vast boat that saved two of each animal and a handful of humans from a catastrophic flood.

But forget all those images of a long vessel with a pointy bow - the original Noah's Ark, new research suggests, was round.

A recently deciphered 4,000-year-old clay tablet from ancient Mesopotamia - modern-day Iraq - reveals striking new details about the roots of the Old Testament tale of Noah. It tells a similar story, complete with detailed instructions for building a giant round vessel known as a coracle - as well as the key instruction that animals should enter "two by two."

The tablet went on display at the British Museum on Friday, and soon engineers will follow the ancient instructions to see whether the vessel could actually have sailed.

It's also the subject of a new book, "The Ark Before Noah," by Irving Finkel, the museum's assistant keeper of the Middle East and the man who translated the tablet.

Finkel got hold of it a few years ago, when a man brought in a damaged tablet his father had acquired in the Middle East after World War II. It was light brown, about the size of a mobile phone and covered in the jagged cuneiform script of the ancient Mesopotamians.

It turned out, Finkel said Friday, to be "one of the most important human documents ever discovered."

"It was really a heart-stopping moment - the discovery that the boat was to be a round boat," said Finkel, who sports a long gray beard, a ponytail and boundless enthusiasm for his subject. "That was a real surprise."

And yet, Finkel said, a round boat makes sense. Coracles were widely used as river taxis in ancient Iraq and are perfectly designed to bob along on raging floodwaters.

"It's a perfect thing," Finkel said. "It never sinks, it's light to carry."

Other experts said Finkel wasn't simply indulging in book-promotion hype. David Owen, professor of ancient Near Eastern studies at Cornell University, said the British Museum curator had made "an extraordinary discovery."

Elizabeth Stone, an expert on the antiquities of ancient Mesopotamia at New York's Stony Brook University, said it made sense that ancient Mesopotamians would depict their mythological ark as round.

"People are going to envision the boat however people envision boats where they are," she said. "Coracles are not unusual things to have had in Mesopotamia."

The tablet records a Mesopotamian god's instructions for building a giant vessel - two-thirds the size of a soccer field in area - made of rope, reinforced with wooden ribs and coated in bitumen.

Finkel said that on paper (or stone) the boat-building orders appear sound, but he doesn't yet know whether it would have floated. A television documentary due to be broadcast later this year will follow attempts to build the ark according to the ancient manual.

The flood story recurs in later Mesopotamian writings including the "Epic of Gilgamesh." These versions lack the technical instructions - cut out, Finkel believes, because they got in the way of the storytelling.

"It would be like a Bond movie where instead of having this great sexy red car that comes on, somebody starts to tell you about how many horsepower it's got and the pressure of the tires and the capacity of the boot (trunk)," he said. "No one cares about that. They want the car chase."

Finkel is aware his discovery may cause consternation among believers in the Biblical story. When 19th-century British Museum scholars first learned from cuneiform tablets that the Babylonians had a flood myth, they were disturbed by its striking similarities to the story of Noah.

"Already in 1872 people were writing about it in a worried way - What does it mean that Holy Writ appears on this piece of Weetabix?" he joked, referring to a cereal similar in shape to the tablet.

Finkel has no doubts.

"I'm sure the story of the flood and a boat to rescue life is a Babylonian invention," he said.

He believes the tale was likely passed on to the Jews during their exile in Babylon in the 6th century B.C. And he doesn't think the tablet provides evidence the ark described in the Bible existed. He said it's more likely that a devastating real flood made its way into folk memory, and has remained there ever since.

"I don't think the ark existed - but a lot of people do," he said. "It doesn't really matter. The Biblical version is a thing of itself and it has a vitality forever.

"The idea that floods are caused by sin is happily still alive among us," he added, pointing out a local councilor in England who made headlines recently for saying Britain's recent storms were caused by the legalization of gay marriage.

"Had I known it, it would have gone in the preface of the book," Finkel said."
----------

[13th Warrior]

It's all about the philosophers stone...

A round vessel containing the male and female seed (divine spark)

Raining 40 days/nights is part of the preparation involving distillation/condensation...

Crows head, doves (7eagles) all alchemical references...

...you can't see the forest because all you see are trees...

[Vicus]

Did the Bible 'Borrow' the Noah's Ark Story From the Epic of Gilgamesh?

https://media.hswstatic.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50Lmhzd3N0YXRpYy5jb20iLCJrZXkiOiJnaWZcL2dpbGdhbWVzaC0xLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJl c2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6ODI4fSwidG9Gb3JtYXQiOiJhdmlmIn19

This Akkadian cylinder-seal impression shows the flood as mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Utanapishtim is in the ark on the left and Gilgamesh (right) is fighting the bull. CM Dixon/Print Collector/Getty Images

In November 1872, a self-taught historian named George Smith toiled away in the archives of the British Museum sorting through fragments of clay tablets recovered from ancient Mesopotamian archeological sites in modern-day Iraq. The tablets were written in cuneiform — a language that had only recently been recovered and translated after 1,000 years of obscurity — and most of the fragments contained humdrum accounting records or opaque prophecies from palace priests.

But then Smith found something remarkable. As he translated the cuneiform word by word, a familiar story unfolded. There was a god punishing humanity with a catastrophic flood, one man who was chosen to survive using a specially constructed boat filled with animals and seeds, and after the flood, birds being released to find dry land.

This wasn't the story of Noah and the ark, though, and this wasn't the book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible (known to Christians as the Old Testament). What Smith had discovered was only one chapter in a sprawling Mesopotamian tale now known as the Epic of Gilgamesh, first written in 1,800 B.C.E., around 1,000 years before the Hebrew Bible.

"The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest tragic epic for which we have evidence," says Louise Pryke, an honorary research associate at the University of Sydney and author of "Gilgamesh," a deep analysis of the text and its influences on later works, from the Bible to Homer's "Odyssey." "It's something that's come to represent ancient Mesopotamia in modern culture."

When Smith first made the connection between the two flood stories in Gilgamesh and Genesis, legend says that he became so excited that he danced around the room removing his clothes. Smith's discovery shook the foundations of biblical scholarship by proposing that some, if not all, of the Hebrew Bible was borrowed from neighboring civilizations.

Pryke says that while the flood narrative in Genesis is clearly inspired by the tale in Gilgamesh, the similarities and differences in the ancient accounts can teach us important things about what these two cultures valued and their cosmic worldviews.

"These are cultures that are in dialogue with one another and their stories are in dialogue with one another," says Pryke.

continue:

https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/gilgamesh.htm

Vicus comment:

A reminder for what is worth...Hebrews were in captivity in Babylon many,many years...were they learned about this story, later was "their"story and much later was "Christians" story... :sherlock: